American golfer Jhared Hack secured the top spot at the Pre-Qualifying III leg of the PGTI Qualifying School 2026 in Ahmedabad. Hack, aged 36 and a first-time visitor to India, shot a four-under 68 in the second round, finishing with a three-shot lead at six-under 138. His performance earned him the top position among 26 players who qualified for the Final Qualifying Stage.
Having previously competed on tours like Korn Ferry, Canadian, and PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Hack’s strong finish included three birdies in the last four holes. He credited his success to acclimatization and practice in Ahmedabad before the event, where he was hosted by local professional Jay Pandya. Hack’s solid play, especially in the second round, secured his lead despite initial nerves.
The leaderboard featured international players with Japan’s Taiga Tanaka in second place at three-under 141, followed by Canada’s Sukhraj Singh Gill and Malaysia’s Muhammad Nafis Najmie Bin Darnalis in third and fourth place, respectively. The best Indian performer was amateur Samarpratap Singh Sandhu, finishing fifth at even-par 144.
A total of 91 players advanced to the Final Stage from the Pre-Qualifying events, joining 42 others for a total field of 133 in the final round at the Kensville Golf & Country Club in Ahmedabad from January 27 to 30.
